Final answer:
Under Andrew Jackson's presidency, the amount of Americans able to vote significantly increased as nearly all adult white men gained the right to vote with the abolition of property qualifications. This democratic expansion, however, did not extend to women, Native Americans, or free Black people. The 1828 election reflected this change, marking a transition toward broader inclusion for white men within the electorate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Expansion of Voting Rights Under Andrew Jackson
During Andrew Jackson’s presidency, there was a notable shift in democratic reforms and the right to vote in the United States of America. By the late 1820s, the criteria for voting rights had evolved, resulting in almost all adult white men gaining the privilege to cast their ballots. This period was marked by the abolition of property qualifications in many states, meaning that wealth was no longer a barrier to participate in elections for white men.
In states like New York and Connecticut, changes to state constitutions and laws led to these expanded voting rights, although this expansion did not extend to women, Native Americans, or free Black people. The new populist movement, fueled by Jacksonian democracy, worked to dismantle what was seen as elitist barriers to political participation. The election of 1828 epitomized this expansion, with a substantial increase in voting electorate hailing from various segments of society who viewed Jackson as a champion of the common man and Jackson’s victory as a rebuff to the politics of deference towards the elite.
Suffrage changes during Andrew Jackson's era provided the groundwork for today’s mass political party system, with the 1828 presidential election being a decisive moment that highlighted the cultural and societal shift towards wider political inclusion for white men.